Loss of Infant

Catholic Cemeteries Offers Comfort and a Final Resting Place for Infants

While the passing of a loved one is always a difficult time, the death of a child can be devastating to a family. The Catholic Church teaches that life begins at conception and all children, regardless of their stage of development, are gifts from God.

As part of our ministry to families who have lost a child, Catholic Cemeteries has several ongoing initiatives:

Most families will elect to have their infant laid to rest in an infant-only section. Burial rights and partial interment fee are donated by Catholic Cemeteries, and the additional cost is minimal. As with any burial, Catholic Cemeteries requires that a burial vault container be used out of respect to the loved one and to also help us maintain our consecrated grounds. To use one of these infant-only graves, the exterior length of the vault container must be less than 48 inches.

When the family is ready, an infant memorial marker with its engraving, installation, and perpetual care can be purchased. Catholic Cemeteries has many designs to choose from. A custom design is created with the family for each infant’s memorial marker.

The most commonly used infant section is the Serenity section of Calvary Cemetery. The Serenity Section has its own decoration policy, which is more relaxed than other sections in our cemeteries. There are also infant sections at Holy Sepulchre (Section W), St. Mary Magdalene (Baby Section within Section 3), and St. Mary (Block 11).

“A Haven for Healing” memorial statue and garden is located at the south end of St. Mary Magdalene Cemetery. This is a quiet, reflective place to remember the unborn – it is a haven to assist the healing process following a miscarriage or an abortion. It is a peaceful place of prayer and a source of comfort. Names of the unborn may be engraved on the granite pavers, which are placed in rings around a Rachel Mourning statue.